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Post by Sparvid on May 21, 2019 23:24:12 GMT -5
I remember staying up to watch the event live, I could just tell by Jerry's face when he came back to the announce booth, that he knew it wasn't good, and when they came back to JR and Lawler to deliver the news, I could tell it was going to be bad news but still hoped for the best. Yes, Lawler's expression was basically "I'm not a doctor and can't pronounce someone dead, but as layman it looks pretty obvious that he's gone" |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 21, 2019 23:36:28 GMT -5
Pollock did an incredible job documenting a very tragic story. With every year that passes, Owen's death becomes sadder and more infuriating. Such a preventable death. He died doing a dumb bit for a goofy gimmick and for what? Did they really NEED this for a Blue Blazer/Godfather match? He should've never been up there.
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Post by imthewalrus97 on May 22, 2019 4:43:06 GMT -5
You have to remember that this "stunt" had been done a lot around that time, especially with Sting in WCW. So, was it needed? No. But would it have been a good bit of comedy had it not gone so horribly wrong? Probably. But I can see why Vince was for doing it.
I always wondered if Vince had done the stunt earlier in the day. It's well known he tended to not ask the wrestlers to do something he wouldn't do himself. Was that the case in this instance?
My 20th birthday was that day. So, every birthday since, I've always thought about Owen on that day. You never hear anyone say a bad thing about him. He just sounded like a great guy, husband and father. So, the fact that Vince threatened to fire him for not doing the stunt, when he was obviously very hesitant about it, ticks me off. I have to wonder what went through his head when Owen fell and if he feels guilt over his death today because he most definitely should.
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Post by Susan "Poison" Candy on May 22, 2019 10:37:47 GMT -5
A few buddy's of mine continue to say that the whole Owen Hart incident was a Vince McMahon conspiracy but intend to let that go in one ear and out the other as I don't like or want to think that Vince McMahon is THAT much of a evil human being. I mean he is a despicable person but damn I don't know about that.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2019 15:41:45 GMT -5
Finally got to listen to this and it’s fantastic. Really underlines the feeling that it could’ve been so easily avoided.
The question that didn’t get asked in the McMahon interview is brutal.
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Post by HMARK Center on May 24, 2019 16:28:59 GMT -5
Just listened to it; great stuff, and jus so infuriating and sad to reflect back on. There was no reason to do the stunt in the first place, no reason to go with the quick release the way they did it, no reason to do it if they didn't have their regular harness guy on call, no reason to go through with it if Owen was so clearly uncomfortable in the first place, etc.
And the point about the divisions in the Hart family during the lawsuit is just awful; when even Bret eventually went back to WWE to avoid the type of retroactive shit-talking that the Warrior DVD showed WWE wasn't beyond doing, it went to show the disproportionate power the company holds in all situations like this, since "burning a bridge" means not getting a job and potentially having your entire legacy compromised by the company that owns nearly all of what you've done.
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Post by jason1980s on May 24, 2019 17:04:22 GMT -5
The question that didn’t get asked in the McMahon interview is brutal. What is the question? I can't imagine what Martha Hart was going through the first few days after Owen's death. It's not like it was a kid driving drunk and causing his death or it wasn't like a wrestling move going wrong and killing him but as many mentioned it was a completely avoidable and senseless death. There will be no understanding this. Also, as mentioned Bret kind of put his career and legacy at the front knowing WWE's hold over so much wrestling related. If I were Owen's brother I would accept any and all WWE burial DVDs over going back to work with them as it was ultimately their negligence and void of basic human decency that led to Owen's death. |
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Post by Mister Pigwell on May 24, 2019 17:06:13 GMT -5
The question that didn’t get asked in the McMahon interview is brutal. What is the question? Something along the lines of "If it was Shane, would you have gone on with the show?" |
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Post by jason1980s on May 24, 2019 17:45:56 GMT -5
Something along the lines of "If it was Shane, would you have gone on with the show?" Ok, wow! As a few have mentioned here, it should have been classified a crime scene and shut down. |
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chazraps
Wade Wilson
Better have my money when I come-a collect!
Posts: 27,955 
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Post by chazraps on May 24, 2019 18:39:15 GMT -5
Outstanding piece of wrestling journalism. This is the new standard. Everyone needs to listen to it. When I was younger the whole "the show must go on" mentality made sense to me. Now I can't wrap my head around it. . For me, the only argument for keeping the show going was that he was revived in the ring and had a heartbeat on the way to the hospital. I can see continuing the show at that point onward as a show of support for him. Once he died they should have ended it immediately. That said, it is unprecedented for the industry that something like that happened live on television. I've thankfully never had to deal with a death on the job and honestly don't know how I'd respond to it. Of course the right logical thing would be to cancel whatever it was, but when tragedy strikes like this I don't blame anyone for not thinking straight in the heat of the moment. I know this is anecdotal, but for a lot of kids I knew at school and adults I'd talk wrestling casually with when getting my haircut, Owen's death made them stop watching. It just wasn't fun for them anymore. |
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Post by Macho Pichu on May 24, 2019 20:59:06 GMT -5
I still wonder if continuing the show was the right call or not. If you call it off, what do you do? Do you comp the live crowd for the Smackdown that would take place in that arena a few months later? What about those who ordered the PPV? Do you try to work a deal with every single PPV provider that you're in business with to give King of the Ring away to those who ordered OTE? Or, if the show really had to go on, was it wise to let the title change take place? I don't have answers.
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wildojinx
Wade Wilson
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Post by wildojinx on May 24, 2019 21:29:55 GMT -5
Re: continuing the show
Were there any complaints about going on with Badd Blood 97 even though Pillman had died before the PPV? Different as he didnt die in the ring or even the arena, but a good number of the competitors were friends with Pillman and still had to go out and perform.
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Post by Sparvid on May 24, 2019 22:24:05 GMT -5
Decided to look up how sports have handled situations like this.
Chuck Hughes collapsed with one minute left of an NFL game, and was pronounced dead at the hospital. The game was played to its conclusion, and the players were told about his death afterwards.
Hank Gathers died from a heart condition during a NCAA basketball game and the commissioner suspended the game and shortly thereafter cancelled the whole tournament they were playing.
When Clint Malarchuk and Richard Zednik respectively suffered neck injuries in NHL, the games were stopped and only resumed once it was announced that they were in stable condition.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 25, 2019 3:42:27 GMT -5
My first experience with death as a kid. I'll never forget it.
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Post by Hit Girl on May 25, 2019 15:53:33 GMT -5
Honky Tonk Man thought it was a work?
What a stupid carny twat.
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Post by Brian Suntan on May 25, 2019 18:09:01 GMT -5
Decided to look up how sports have handled situations like this. Chuck Hughes collapsed with one minute left of an NFL game, and was pronounced dead at the hospital. The game was played to its conclusion, and the players were told about his death afterwards. Hank Gathers died from a heart condition during a NCAA basketball game and the commissioner suspended the game and shortly thereafter cancelled the whole tournament they were playing. When Clint Malarchuk and Richard Zednik respectively suffered neck injuries in NHL, the games were stopped and only resumed once it was announced that they were in stable condition. There are a couple of incidents in football that come to mind. When Fabrice Muamba had a heart attack on the pitch during a pre-match warm up the game was called off pretty quickly (he made a miraculous recovery). Conversely, the game in which Marc Vivien Foe died was played to its conclusion. |
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Post by brown bricks on May 25, 2019 18:14:19 GMT -5
This was really well done.
It brought up a point I've never thought about before: It WAS weird that the authorities didn't shut this thing down and investigate a possible crime scene. Not to drum up conspiracies, but evidence could've been destroyed/gotten rid of during this time. I'd also forgot about WWE counter-suing Martha for breach of contract. What a pile of shit company.
As far as cancelling the show, I'll always believe that they should've cancelled the show. Continuing the show and not telling the live crowd just seems awful and scummy in every way.
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Post by bmfjules on May 25, 2019 18:14:36 GMT -5
What little Vince does actually sleep at night, I have no idea how he manages to do it.
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Eunös ✈
Dalek
Duck Feet Expert
Tolerated, just not practically liked.
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Post by Eunös ✈ on May 25, 2019 18:22:51 GMT -5
Really good listen..
The more I hear about it the more I don't for one minute doubt that Owen should still be alive today.
It was a stupid stunt that he clearly didn't want to do.. If god forbid this happened today videos would be all over the Internet.. Technology wasn't quite as adapt 20 years ago.
Honestly should have just said no and ventured off to WCW for it's final year or two.
Considering he was eyeing retirement at this point at least have still have him today and this conversation would not exist.
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Post by jason1980s on May 25, 2019 18:36:47 GMT -5
This was really well done. It brought up a point I've never thought about before: It WAS weird that the authorities didn't shut this thing down and investigate a possible crime scene. Not to drum up conspiracies, but evidence could've been destroyed/gotten rid of during this time. I'd also forgot about WWE counter-suing Martha for breach of contract. What a pile of shit company. As far as cancelling the show, I'll always believe that they should've cancelled the show. Continuing the show and not telling the live crowd just seems awful and scummy in every way. Crazy, I never knew about them counter suing Martha. How could that suit ever make it? I think as far as authorities not shutting it down, honestly as bad as Owen's death is there was probably some cynicism from police thinking "just wrestling" or "typical wrestling stunt gone wrong" almost as if it were some backyard fed where a kid breaks his neck and dies doing a table moon salt. For as much as WWE wants the mainstream to think they are big stuff, many just see it as silly wrestling federation whether it's WWE, WCW or an independent federation with three letters. |
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